Vusumuzi Dube
Sibongile Ndiweni, Sunday Life Reporter
KARATE is a sport that is regarded as special among the martial arts as it not only gives one’s body fitness but teaches a person self defence, a skill that comes in handy when one finds themselves backed into a corner and need to fight back.
It is a sport that also fosters self-discipline but, in some cases, it goes further, giving its best practitioners what they can proclaim to be their profession.
One such person is Taurai Majaya the provincial head for the Japanese Shotokan Karate Association (JSKA) which is registered under the Bulawayo Metropolitan Karate Association (BMKA).
The 35-year-old man from Wedza but resident in Bulawayo grew his passion for karate from the unlikeliest beginnings, as he initially was a soccer player whose career was ended by injury.
He now holds a first done black belt in martial arts.
“I was a professional football player, playing for Zimpost in Mutare but when I got injured in 2002, I had no choice but to leave soccer. In 2008 I relocated to Bulawayo and decided to nurture my career in karate since I was already gifted in it”, he said.
Majaya trains karate to both adults and children at the Nketa 8 community hall, with the number of children ranging to 22 and girls being five including his own daughter.
He says even though the number of girls he is training now is low, he has a wish of seeing more girls come under his tutelage as he believes that self defence skills would be invaluable to them.
“I would say I have achieved a lot in my career because I have represented Bulawayo for some time, although I did not manage to represent it in the Zone 5 games due to lack of funds, but given the opportunity I would like to take my career far,” he said
“I am getting older each year and wouldn’t really manage to compete with the younger generation in the next five years, but I see my future, the future of karate in the young ones I am training because they have a passion for it. One of my students Bongeka Mguni (14) is the Zimbabwe Champion on Kata and Kumite in the under-16 girls team and I am very happy about it because in five years from now I know she will be very far,” he added. Majaya points out that as JSKA, they work with the community and with the aim to develop it through sport.
“We are really happy with the support that we are getting from the community but we still call out to more community members to understand the importance of karate especially in the western suburbs and also for more trainers to have a passion to teach in the western suburbs and not only focus on the eastern suburbs because there are a lot of children in the locations who have a passion for karate and need training,” he said.
“The katas and meditation that comes with karate help the children to be focused and be calm even when the situation doesn’t require such,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter